OSCE Chairperson visits Georgia, says Organization's work not yet done

TBILISI, 23 March 2009 - The situation on the ground in Georgia means an OSCE presence remains vital and the Chairmanship's immediate priority is to secure a new mandate for work in the region, the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis, said today.

"There is no doubt the OSCE's work to promote stability in the region is crucial. It is unfortunate that the OSCE Mission to Georgia finds itself in a process of discontinuation because of a lack of consensus," she said after meeting Georgian Foreign Minister Grigol Vashadze. "The Greek Chairmanship is intensively negotiating in an attempt to find a mutually acceptable solution for a continued OSCE presence in Georgia."

During her one-day visit to Tbilisi, the Minister also met Prime Minister Nika Gilauri and Temur Yakobashvili, the State Minister for Reintegration. She also met staff of the OSCE's Mission to Georgia, stressing their professionalism and loyalty.

The Chairperson noted there had been progress in the Geneva discussions on Georgia - which are co-chaired by the OSCE, the EU and the United Nations - and that the OSCE presence in Georgia was important for that process.

"If the OSCE withdraws, the Geneva process could be affected," the Minister said, adding she was certain no one wanted to see such a development. She also said she hoped the joint incident prevention and response mechanisms agreed in Geneva could be implemented quickly.

The Chairperson was also scheduled to meet leaders of Georgian political parties before dining with Minister Vashadze and then returning to Athens.